Bengaluru techie’s death initially blamed on fire now revealed as premeditated murder;  Boy  arrested

Bengaluru  What was initially believed to be a   fire accident caused by a short circuit has now been exposed as a premeditated murder in the death of techie Sharmila in Bengaluru’s Ramamurthy Nagar. Following an in-depth investigation, police have arrested her alleged lover, identified as  Karnal  Kurai(18) a native of Kerala, in connection with the case.

Sharmila (34), originally from Kavoor in Mangaluru, had been living for the past one-and-a-half years in an apartment at Subramanya Layout, Ramamurthy Nagar, along with a friend. She was employed as a software professional at a private IT firm near her residence. On the day of the incident, Sharmila was on leave, and her roommate had gone to her native place, leaving her alone at home.

The incident occurred late on  January 3,  around 11 pm, when a fire broke out in one of the rooms of the apartment, filling the house with thick smoke. Initially, it was suspected that a short circuit had triggered the fire, leading to Sharmila’s death due to suffocation. Fire and emergency services rushed to the spot after locals alerted the police, extinguished the fire, and shifted the body for post-mortem examination.

 Ramamurthy nagara police inspector  G J Sathish told that  “At first glance, everything pointed towards an accidental fire caused by an electrical short circuit. There were no visible signs of foul play.”

However, the case took a dramatic turn after the post-mortem report and forensic evidence contradicted the initial theory. Detailed analysis by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and technical examination of the scene revealed inconsistencies that suggested the fire was deliberately caused to destroy evidence.

“As the investigation progressed, it became clear that this was not an accident but a planned murder made to look like a fire mishap The accused attempted to create a false narrative of an electrical fire to mislead investigators’’ Satuish added.

Police investigation revealed that the accused,  Karnal Kurai, was Sharmila’s neighbour and had known her for nearly two years. He was reportedly in love with her, though Sharmila was unaware of his feelings. Investigators believe this one-sided obsession led to the crime.

“Evidence suggests the accused had planned the murder in advance and used fire as a cover-up,” the officer added. “We have arrested him based on strong technical and circumstantial evidence.”

The accused is currently being interrogated to ascertain the exact motive, sequence of events, and whether any other persons were involved. Police have stated that further details will be disclosed once the interrogation is complete.